Doing Well with Diabetes: Global Nutritionist Panel

On episode 1 of Doing Well with Diabetes Season 2 Rob opens with a global nutritionist panel featuring three voices from three continents—Ravi Subramanian (India/Australia), Sally Anne Shirto (Zimbabwe/South Africa), and Marina Cavalin (Brazil). Each shares how diabetes shaped their lives, their careers, and the way they support others in their communities. The episode tracks the realities of type 1 and type 2 diabetes across vastly different health systems, highlighting gaps in education, access to insulin and supplies, food insecurity, misinformation, cultural nutrition challenges, and the emotional and physical toll of the condition worldwide. Through personal stories—from childhood polo matches with royalty to managing a teen’s diabetes in an under-resourced setting—the conversation reinforces a central theme: education, movement, and community support remain the strongest levers for improving global health and wellbeing for people with diabetes. Chapters 01:23 – Meet Ravi: Pilot Dreams to Type 2 Diagnosis 02:05 – Two Decades of Uncontrolled Diabetes & Complications 06:11 – Going Back to School: Becoming a Nutritionist 08:49 – Carbs, Fats, and the Omega-6:3 Problem in Indian Diets 11:39 – Portion Control, Festivals, and Insulin as a Double-Edged Sword 16:15 – Walking, Sweat, and Safe Exercise for Blood Pressure 19:14 – Resistance Training as Medicine 20:35 – Polo with Prince Charles: Childhood, Horses, and Loss of Function 23:03 – Meet Sally Anne: Mom, Coach, and Advocate in Zimbabwe & South Africa 24:08 – Learning Diabetes From Zero as a Parent 27:02 – The Affordability Crisis: Insulin, Strips, and Food 31:11 – Education Gaps: Fixed Doses, Hypers vs Hypos, and No Corrections 33:09 – Doing the Most With Very Little: Education as the First Line of Care 39:19 – Tackling Stigma at School and on the Netball Court 39:55 – Glucobuddies: Building Community in Under-Resourced Settings 42:08 – The Missing Link: Diabetes Educators, Not Just Dietitians 47:11 – Fighting Misinformation About “Healthy” Foods 50:42 – Meet Marina: Insulin Girl from Brazil 54:38 – Living With Type 1 in Brazil: Access and Inequality 58:46 – Brazilian Food Culture and the Carb-Counting Gap 1:02:54 – Learning to Count Carbs and Choosing Nutrition as a Career 1:05:24 – Mental Health, Burnout, and the Role of Exercise 1:11:42 – Young Leaders in Diabetes and Impact at Human Scale 1:15:40 – Self-Acceptance, Complications, and Redefining “Doing Well” Resources: https://www.instagram.com/guriadainsulina/ ravismani@gmail.com - Ravi Subramanian’s email Blue Circle Voices IDF Glucose Buddy Sally Anne Shirto LinkedIn

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